Caroline Hirons is a globally trained and insured aesthetician with over 30 years experience working in the beauty industry. In a business where the promotion and sale of products is driven by celebrity (interpret as you wish) endorsements, it’s little wonder that Caroline’s straight-talking ‘no-nonsense’ approach, and dry sense of humour has earned her millions of fans who hang off her every word.
The consequence of said revelation is a resurrected feeling of optimism towards the world of skincare, and a sparkly new range of vocabulary to go with it. Today, I want to draw attention more specifically to one of the brands I have been introduced to through this online community.
Launched in 2016, Beauty Pie is the brainchild of Marcia Kilgore and her self-declared ‘best idea yet’. Essentially, it is an online member’s club offering direct-to-consumer luxury beauty brand that is giving the mainstream luxury beauty brands a run for their money.
“You pay £10/month for your membership. So if you buy your Swiss anti-aging cream from Beauty Pie every month, instead of from a cosmetics counter, you’ll pay (including a £10 membership) around £21, instead of £130.”
But what exactly does that mean? Beauty Pie breaks down the membership benefit with the following example:
“As a member, you can get a Swiss-formulated, £11 (the actual cost to produce, test, warehouse and pick). Normally, it would cost you upwards of £130 (the typical price of something that leaves the factory costing £11, if you add labour, marketing, corporate overheads, retailer margins). You pay £10/month for your membership. So if you buy your Swiss anti-aging cream from Beauty Pie every month, instead of from a cosmetics counter, you’ll pay (including a £10 membership) around £21, instead of £130.”
100% of Beauty Pie products are cruelty-free
Many of the celebrated products featured in the Skincare Freaks group which caught my eye were from luxury brands such as Kate Sommerville, Oskia and Zelens. Their products are typically in the range of £60 a pop, so, with the exception of a hidden treasure in TK Maxx, out of my price range. Naturally, I was really drawn then to the Beauty Pie concept. Speaking also as a vegan, I was particularly impressed by the fact that 100% of Beauty Pie products are cruelty-free, with many of those also being animal derivative free too. Already, the brand was ticking a lot of boxes.
I have been sampling a range of products from cleansers to vitamin serums, exfoliators to moisturisers and none of them have disappointed.
I chose to give the brand a go by opting for their starting membership price of £5 a month which gives you a £50 monthly spend limit. Over the course of my membership, I have been sampling a range of products from cleansers to vitamin serums, exfoliators to moisturisers and none of them have disappointed.
If you’re considering sampling Beauty Pie products, here is a speedy review of my favourites below:
I love the gel to oil to milk formula. By having to really massage the product onto the skin, it helps you to slow down the cleansing process and turn it into a relaxing ritual at the end of the day. When used as the second stage in my double-cleanse, it melts any excess products or make-up, making my skin feel refreshed.
You really only need to use a small amount of this moisturiser as it is a thick consistency that melts into the skin and helps to keep it hydrated. I personally prefer to use this moisturiser on days when I'm not wearing make-up as the oil-based formula can cause my foundation to separate. On non-Juju days, I opt for Super Healthy Skin Daily Moisture Lotion.
What drew me to this product was two of its key ingredients. 1) Glycolic acid - an AHA acid used to exfoliate, help reduce pigmentation and even skin tone, 2) Niacinamide - vitamin B3, a water-soluble that works with natural substances in your skin to help visibly reduce enlarged pores.
As AHA acids can cause your skin to be sun sensitive, I also use the Featherlight UVB/UVA SPF50 Sunscreen + Primer to protect my skin against photodamage.
Featured Image: @beautypie on Instagram
Other Images: @carolinehirons on Instagram, Bridie Lonsdale
